One in Ten Clinics Lost Staff: But Staff Losses Less Than 1993

In comparison with 1993 survey data, fewer clinic staff members
quit during the first seven months of 1994 as a result of violence Clinics in 1994 experienced the resignation of physicians, nurses,
and administrative personnel. In one-quarter of these clinics, the
staff member who resigned was a physician, 42% of those who resigned
were nurses and 32% were administrators or staff assistants. Some
clinics experienced multiple resignations as in the case of one
clinic which, since January 1994, had to replace a physician, a
nurse and two administrative assistants.

Other Health Services Disrupted at Clinics: 92.4% of Clinics
Provide Services In Addition to Abortion

Anti-abortion violence not only has limited access to abortion,
but also has prevented patients, particularly low-income women and
their families, from receiving a wide range of other important health
care services. Of the clinics that responded to the survey, almost
all (94.9%) reported that they provided services in addition to
abortion.

Death Threats Rise Since July 1994 Pensacola Murders

One grim statistic not covered by the survey is the number of
killings and clinic personnel shootings since 1991. In 1991 two
clinic workers were shot at a Springfield, Missouri clinic. One
worker was paralyzed from the waist down, the other was wounded
in the stomach. In 1993, Dr. David Gunn was killed outside a clinic
in Pensacola, Florida, Dr. George Tiller was shot outside of his
clinic in Wichita, Kansas, and Dr. Wayne Patterson was killed in
Mobile, Alabama. This year, Dr. John Bayard Britton and his escort
James Barrett were killed in Pensacola. June Barrett, James Barrett's
spouse, survived gunshot wounds. The tactic of shooting doctors
has spread to neighboring countries. In November, Dr. Garson Romalis
was shot while eating breakfast in his home in Vancouver, Canada.

Furthermore, the shooting spree which resulted in the death of
Dr. Britton and Barrett was not a random event. Murdering doctors
has become an accepted tactic by some extremists in the anti-abortion
movement. Last year a declaration signed by over 30 anti-abortion
extremists outlined their position of "Justifiable Homicide"
against practitioners of abortion. Britton and Barrett were murdered
by petition author, Paul Hill, who attempted to use the justifiable
homicide defense in court during his murder trial.

The death of James Barrett and the attempted murder of June Barrett
shows that even those who provide protection for doctors are also
at risk. In an open letter to the United States Congress, David
Trosch, a Catholic priest and strong advocate of justifiable homicide,
warned that those persons connected with abortion-providing doctors
are also at risk of becoming targets for anti-abortion extremist
activity.

The murders of Britton and Barrett appear to have escalated death
threats against clinic personnel. The survey measured increases
in types of violence following the July 29th Pensacola murders.
Since July, 16.6 % (52) clinics reported an increase in death threats.
This statistic is especially striking when placed in the context
of other types of violence. Only 5.4% (17) of the clinics reported
an increase in stalking; 2.9% (9) reported an increase in bomb threats,
2.9% (9) reported an increase in blockades, 2.2% (7) reported an
increase in bombings, 1.9% (6) reported an increase in arson threats,
1.6% (5) reported an increase in clinic invasions, 1.3% (4) reported
an increase in arson, and .3% (1) reported an increase in chemical
attacks. (See Table 6).

Table 6: Percentage of Clinics Reporting Increases in Violence
by Type Since July 1994 Pensacola Murders

In addition to the rise in death threats after the July murders,
another alarming pattern emerged. Our data analysis found a statistically
significant correlation between violence and clinic status since
the murders of Britton and Barrett. Clinics were asked to assess
anti-abortion violence following the July 29th murders. From July
29 through the Fall of 1994, the survey found that non-profit clinics
-- which often are more economically vulnerable -- were targeted
by anti-abortion violence. Some of the most threatening acts of
violence were perpetrated against staff and buildings at non-profit
clinics: 40.4% of clinics that reported death threats, 52.9% of
clinics that reported stalking and 71.4% of clinics that reported
bombin2s were nonprofits. (See Chart 1). Chemical attacks, blockades
and invasions, however, appear to be more prevalent at for-profit
clinics and private doctor's offices.

Some clinics that experienced little anti-abortion violence in
1993 or early in 1994 suddenly found themselves besieged by violence
and threats after the July murders. In Vermont, for example, one
bombing was the only form of violence during the first seven months
of 1994 reported by the seven clinics participating in the survey.
But since the murders, four Vermont clinics recorded increases in
bombings, bomb threats, and arson threats.

Furthermore, anti-abortion violence since July was not limited
to clinics and doctors who provided abortions. Although not included
in the final results of the survey, some non-abortion providing
clinics reported incidents of anti-abortion violence. Clinics in
Falls Church, VA; Brainerd, MN; Cloquet, MN; Sydney, OH; and St.
Albans, VT, and Rapids City, SD were fire bombed after July 29,
1994. Only one arrest has been made (in the Vermont incident), and
no FACE charges have been filed. With the exception of the Virginia
facility all of the clinics provided family planning, and none provided
abortions. As in the past, anti-abortionists are not limiting acts
of terrorism to abortion-providers.